Combined electric stove and toaster.



H. A` HICI..` COMBINED ELECTRIC STOVE AND TOASTER.

I APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 22, I9I5- Patented Apr. f2, 1918.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEicE.v o

HAROLD A.' RICE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSGNOR T0 REDTOP ELECTRIC COMPANY,

NC., A CORRATION OF NEW YORK.

COMBINED ELECT'EC STOVE AND TOASTER.

Patenten. Apr. as, isis.

Application filed September 22, 1915. Serial No, 51,955.

T0 all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that 1, HAROLD A. RICE, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of the borough of hlanhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have made certain new and useful lmprovements in Combined Electric StovesI and Toasters, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to produce a combined electric stove and toaster which will be simple in construction, easily and quickly assembled and effective in operation.

In the foll'owing'l have described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, a structure illustrating one way of practising my invention, the features thereof being more particularly pointed outl hereinafterin the claims. 0

' In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined electric stove and toaster illustrating one way of carrying out my invention; F ig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through one corner showing a detail of construction; Fig. 3 is an end viewof the strueture shown vin Fig. 1, on a somewhat smaller scale, showing the toast rack raised, and Fig. 4 is a broken sectional view showin0r a modip ication.

upper plate Similar numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings 1 and 2 indicate respectively lower and upper plates of suitable material, such as that formed with asbestos as a foundation, non-conducting electrically, non-inflammable and preferably non-conducting thermally as well. The bottom plate 1 may however be made of metal if desired.

8, 3 indicate the feet of the stove. 4, 4indicate the side frames preferably made of wire. 5, 5 indicate diagonal braces, (3, 6 and 6a, 6a, indicate cross braces and 7, 7 indicate intermediate connections, all preferably made of wire. The toast racks are indicated by 8, each carried by one of the side framesv 4 and provided with return bends 9 adapted, when the racks are spread out, as shown in Fig. 1, to rest against the adjacent'edge of 2, 10 indicates a cross support or bridge, preferably made of the saine material as upper plate 2, bridging a een trally disposed opening 11 in upper plate 2. 12, 12 indicate tubes or envelops for holding and the side frame together. 13 indicates the electrical resistance or heating elements mounted on upper plate formed up as 2 and electrically connected preferably in series in the usual manner. 14 indicates the electric terminals for elements 13. 15 indicates an opening in envelops 12 providing for the passage of one end of cross brace 5 therethrough, and 1G indicates a perforation in upper plate 2 for receiving said end of said cross brace as hereinafter set forth. lThe cross bridge 10 is preferabl loosely attached to plate 2 so as to have slight freedom of motion for expansion and contraction under heat. This may be done by means of pins l? fast in plate 2 but loose in openings 18 in bridge 10.

ln assembling the device 1 proceed as follows: The various side frames, braces, intermediate connections and toast racks being shown 1 take two of the side frames 4, 4 and thread on the cross braces 6, 6 and the intermediate connections 7 7 on one set of vside frames and the toast racks 8, 8 and cross braces 6, 6 on the other set of side frames. These four side frames are then laid with the upper side down, on top of diagonal braces 5, 5. Tubes or envelops 12 are tlicn slipped over the upturned ends of side frames 4 anddiagonal braces 5, 5 and the ends of braces 5 brought through openings 15 in envelops 12. Upper plate 2, carrying the heating elements and connections is then placed within the four corners, held at the desired distance from the braces and fastened in position by the ends of braces 5 being brought through openings 16 in plate 2. Envelops or tubes 12 are preferably of such length that they extend from the angular bends in the side frames and diagonal braces to the upper face of lower plate 1, and the openings in lower plate 1 to receive the' ends of side frames 4, adapted t0 extend therethrough, are at less distance from each other than the edgcsof the .per-

forations through the upper plate 2 are from each other. Consequently in the next step of the assembling, when 'the lower plate 1 is forced over the ends of side frames 4, '4

the effect is to stretch or bend the side frames and diagonal braces over the edges of the perforations through the upper plate 2 and hence stretch all the braces taut. The

feet 3 of the stove are then made fast to the ends of the; side frames in anyconvenient way as by tapping them, and the stove is ready for use.

` rIvhe upper plate 2 may be carried between as supports for. the article being heated or cooked or they may be turned up as shown in Fig. 3 to act either as toasters or supports as shown.

The device as described is simple, compact and effective. Itis obvious that the details of construction may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention and I do not, therefore,.restrict myself to such details further than the scope of the appended claims demands.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described a rectangular wire frame work forming the grid and having down turned ends at the corners, an upper plate mounted on said corners and a lowerI plate mounted on said corners, lthe distance between the corners in the lower plate being greater than the width of the upper plate.

2. In a device of the eharacterdescribed a rectangular wire frame work forming the grid and having down-turned ends at the corners, diagonal braces crossing said frame work and having down-turned ends adja ,cent said corners, an upper plate carried by the down-turned ends'of the diagonal braces and a lower plate mounted on said corners.

3. In a device of the character described y a 'rectangular Wire frame work forming the grid and having down-turned ends at the corners, a toast rack rotatably mounted on said grid on two of the opposite sides thereof, return bends on'said toast racks, an upper' plate mounted on said corners and ada ted to contact with the return bends of the toast racks when the latter are in extended position and a lower plate mounted on said corners.

4. In a device of the character described a'rectan ular wire frame work. forming the grid an .havinor workand having downturned ends adjacent said corners, means foretfecting said downturned ends to form 'le s and each provided with an opening for t e projection of the ends of the dia onal braces, an upper plate mounted on said diagonalbrace ends and a lower plate carried b said legs.

5. In a devicev of the character' described, the combination of a plate having an opening, heating elements extending from one side of said plate over said openin to another side of.-said plate, a bridge or said heating elements, and means for mounting said bridge across said opening to effect free expansion and construction of said bridge relative to said plate.

downturned ends at the. corners, diagonal braces crossing, sa1d frame 6. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rectangular plate having a central opening, a plurality of heatin elementsand means for supporting said heating elements in position across said opening, said means comprising a bridge loosely supported b said plate whereby said bridge may freely expand and contract relatively to said plate.

7. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rectangular plate having a central rectangular opening, a plurality of heating elements and means for supporting said heating elements in position across said opening, said means comprising a bridge loosely mounted on said plate whereby said bridge may freely' expand and contract relatively to said plate.

8. In a device of the character described, the combination of a fiat plate having an opening, a plurality of heatingelements insulatedly carried by said plate and means for supporting said heating elements in position across said opening, said means comprising a 'bridge loosely mounted over said plate whereby said bridge may freely expand and contract relatively to said plate.

9. In a device of the character described, the combination of a plate havingan opening, a plurality of heating elements and means for supporting. said heating elements in position across sa1d opening, said means comprising a bridge loosely supported by said plate whereby said bridge may freely expand and contract relatively to sa1d plate, said means comprising a bridge and a lug and slot connection connecting said bridge and said plate, whereby said bridge may freely expand and contract relatively toguide said bridge laterallyl with respect to` said plate.

11. In a device of the character described, the combination of a late having an opening, a plurality of eating elements and means for supporting said heating elements in position over sai opening, said means comprising a bridge freely supported by said plate, one of .said last two named elements having a slot and the other having a lug extending f reel within said slot.

12. In a device o the character described, a wire frame work having spaced transversely directed portions, an upper member having spaced mounting means engaging i said space portions anda lower member having spaced mounting` means engaging said spaced portions, the distances between said spaced mounting means of said upper member being respectively greater' than the distances between said spaced n mounting means of said lower members. h f

13. In a device of the character described, a wire frame work having spaced transversely directed portions, an upper member having 'spaced openings engaging said spaced portions and a lower member having spaced openings engaging said spaced portions, the distances between said spaced openings of said upper member being respectively greater than the distances between said spaced openings of said lower members.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

HAROLD A. RICE. 

